Toy railroad



April 23, 1940. FlsHER 2,198,306

TOY RAILROAD Filed Feb. 25, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor 49 ALBfKT 17.5HER,

A iiomeys P 1940. A. FISHER TOY RAILROAD Filed Feb. 25, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 M/Af A Inventor AL BfRT HSHER.

Attorneys April 23, 1940. A. FISHER TOY RAILROAD Filed Feb. 25, 19:9

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 In venior A: BERT JZSHER A iiomeys Patented Apr. 23, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OClaims.

This invention relates to a toy railroad and more particularly to a supporting structure therefor, and has for the primary object the provision of a device of this character which may a be readily set up to permit use of the toy railroad without the usual practice of having to assemble the railroad by joining the track sections, making electrical connections and arranging other parts which go to complete the railroad and which may be easily and quickly folded into a very compact device having an exterior appearance of a chest, trunk, or some other similar device with all of the parts of the railroad confined therein and protected.

ll With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain other novel'features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention,

reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a top plan view illustrating a toy '0 Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary top planview showing the device.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the line H of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view. taken on the V II line 4 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 4.

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 4. 40 Figure 9 is a detail sectional view taken on the line :4 of Figure 4.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a pair of sections of the supporting structure in folded position with a joint closing member moved into a' position to permit folding of the sections.

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 10 showing the Joint closing member acting as a support for one of the track sections.

Figure 12 is an exploded perspective view showing the device in a partly folded position.

Figure 13 is a perspective view illustrating the device in a completely folded position.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the null meral 5 indicates a platform on which is assembled a toy railroad track 8 which may be either of the electrical type or of the mechanical type. The arrangement of the track 6 on the platform may be as shown in Figure 1 or may be rearranged to provide a diflerent route or direction of travel 5 g -a crossover I and a series of switches indicated by the characters 8, 9 and III for connecting the figure 8 to an elongated loop arrangement of 10 track with a siding indicated by the character A. The siding A may also be termed a terminal and has located at one end thereof a bumper ll to.prevent the train from running ofl of the track. Also located at the siding A is a series 16 of hook-shaped elements I: which extend over the track, the purpose of which is to retain the cars on the track when the device is folded. The hook-shaped elements may be provided with a suitable covering it to prevent marring or damgo 8 8 of the cars, as clearly shown in Figure 5.

If the track is of the electrified type the electrical control therefor is indicated by the character i4 and is equipped with an extension cord II which may be readily plugged into an electric output. The connection of the electrical control it to the track is of the well known character.

Theoperator of the toy train stands at one side of the platform and the electrical control M is arranged in convenient reach of the operator and the. switch 8 has connected thereto an operating medium II which terminates in close proximity to the operator so that the actuation of the switch I can be easily carried out by the operator. Arranged at suitable places upon the platform are various types of structures, indicated by the character lI,-some of which may represent station houses, electric signals, a tunnel, indicated by the character It, through which the track extends, as clearly shown in Figure 1. The .arrangement of the structures on the platform can be in accordance with the wishes of the user.

' The hooks l2 employed for retaining the cars on the siding A are carried by a guard strip is the ends of which are suitably fastened onto the platform 5, as shown at 20 which permits removal thereof from the platform when desired.

The platform 5 is constructed from a plurality of sectional panels connected together by hinges 2| the adjacent edges of the panels being beveled or cutaway to permit said panels to be swung in the direction of each other to fold the platform into a box-like structure, as clearly shown in Figures 12 and 13. Strips or members 22 are em- 56 played for filling the spaces between the adjacent nals may be wired to the bolts of the hinges 2|.

Strap-type hinges 24 connect the members 22 to the panels and also connected to the members 22 are arcuately curved arms 25 which are pivotaliy connected to links 28. The links 26 are pivotally connected to brackets 21 secured onto the panels. Through the use of the hinges 24, arms 25 and links 28 the members 22 are caused to move away from the panels when said panels are moved in angularly related positions with respect to each other, as clearly shown in Figure 10. The members 22 when moved away from the panels carry therewith the movable sections 22 of the track 8. When the panels are returned to an operative or flat position as shown in Figure l, the members 22 move into the spaces between the adjacent edges of the panels to form a continuous and substantially smooth surface to the top face of the platform with the movable sections 23 of the track placed in proper position with respect to the permanent sections of the track.

Panels 28 are secured to certain panels of the platform and are arranged at right angles thereto and when the platform is in an operative or extended position, the panels 28 are arranged vertically and have secured thereto castors 29. One of the panels 28 has mounted thereon a box-like structure 30 in which the locomotive and its tender may be placed when not in use.

When the panels of the platform are moved into angularly related positions with respect to each other for the purpose of collapsing the platform into a box-like structure, as shown in Figures 12 and 13, the panels 28 coact with each other in forming the bottom of the folded device with the castors disposed outermost so that the device may be easily rolled over a floor from one place to another. Strips 3i are secured to certain of the panels of the platform on which the panels 28 rest when the platform is collapsed into box-like form. A suitable friction catch is provided for retaining the panels folded.

The panels of the platform are also provided with a series of strips 32 on which a cover 33 may rest when the platform is in a folded position, the latter having brackets 34 to engage with set screws carried by one of the panels of the platform and tightened by wing nuts prior to closing the device. The cover 33 is held in position by friction type catches.

Certain of the panels of the platform are provided with hasps 35 for retaining them in closed position when the platform is collapsed and the panels and platform are further provided with strap loops 36 through which straps 31 may extend. The straps 31 encircle the device when in a collapsed position.

The platform 5 when in an extended or op-' erative position, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, may rest on a table or trestle 38 including pairs of crossed pivotally connected legs 39 equipped with collapsible braces 40. The legs and braces permit collapsing of the trestle II when not in use. The platform when in operative position may be placed directly on the floor and rest on the strap loops to keep said platform even on the floor.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be seen-that through the use of this invention a toy railroad may be readily set up for use with all 'of the various parts assuming proper operative position for the runningof' a train as the platform is moved into an unfolded position obviating the necessity of assembling track sections and otherparts that go to make up the railroad system. Further, it will be noted that the device may .be readily folded into a very compact device without detaching or separating any of the track sections or other parts which go to make up the railroad system and may be conveniently moved from one place to another and stored in a comparatively small space.

It is believed that the simplicity and advantages of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which such a device relates, and while I have herein set forth a satisfactory embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that certain changes therefrom as fairly fall within the scope of my claims may be resorted to when desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a box-like structure including a plurality of panels, hinges connecting said panels to permit the latter to be positioned to form a platform, said panels having adjacent edges beveled to permit said panels to swing in the direction of each other to form the box-like structure, a plurality of strips hingedly connected to said panels adjacent said beveled edges and adapted to close the spaces between the adjacent edges of the panels when the latter are extended to form the platform, a toy railroad including cars, locomotive, structures and sectional tracks, certain sections of the tracks being secured on said panels and the other sections of the tracks being secured on said strips, said sections of the track adapted to assume a position within the box-like structure when the panels are folded to form the box-like structure.

2. In a device of the class described comprising a platform, a collapsible means for supporting said platform, said platform including'a plurality of panels having the adjacent edges thereof beveled to form spaces to permit said panels to swing into positions at right angles to each other, beveled members to fill the spaces between said panels, hinges connecting the panels, link means connecting said members to the panels and coacting with the latter to bring about movement of the members out of the spaces between the adjacent edges of the panels on the movement of the panels into positions at right angles to each other,

panels, hinges connecting the panels, links means connecting said members to the panels and coacting the latter tobring about movement of the members out of the spaces between the adjacent edges of the panels on the movement of the panels into positions at right angles to each other, a toy railroad track system including track sections and having certain sections thereof secured on said panels and the other sections thereof being fixed to said members for movement therewith, structures mounted on the panels and movable therewith, a plurality of hook-shaped retaining elements carried by one of the panels and overlying a part of the track for retaining cars porting said platform, said platform including a plurality of panels having the adjacent edges thereof beveled to form spaces to permit said panels to swing into positions at right angles to each other, beveled members to fill the spaces between said panels, hinges connecting the panels, link means connecting said members to the panels and coacting with the latter to bring about movement of the members out of the spaces between the beveled edges of the panels onthe movement of the panels into positions at right angles to each other, a toy railroad track system including track sections and having certain of said sections fixed to the panels and other of said sections fixed to said members for movement therewith, structures mounted on the panels and movable therewith, a plurality of hook-shaped retaining elements carried by one of the panels and overlying a part of the track for retaining cars thereon, a bumper mounted on one of the panels at one end of the track, a box-like structure mounted on one of the panels forming a closure for a locomotive and its tender when not in use.

5. In a device of the class described comprising a platform including a plurality of panels having adjacent edges thereof beveled to form spaces to permit said panels to assume positions at right angles to each other to form a box-like structure, beveled members to fill the spaces between the beveled edges of the panels, hinges connecting said panels, link means for connecting said members to the panels and having the latter coacting therewith in moving said members into and out of the spaces in accordance with the positions occupied by the panels, a toy railroad track system including a plurality of sections and having certain sections thereof fixed on the panels and the other sections secured to said members for movement therewith, auxiliary panels secured to certain of said first panels and extending at right angles thereto, castors carried by the auxiliary panels, said auxiliary panels coacting to form a closure for one end of the box-like structure, strips carried by certain of said first-named panels to support the auxiliary panels when forming a closure for one end of the box-like structure, a cover, means for detachably securing said cover to said first-named panels, and strips carried by said first-named panels for the cover to engage.

6. In a device of the class described, a platform including a plurality of panels having beveled edges, hinges connecting said panels to permit the platform to be folded into a box-like construction, beveled members to engage and ml the space between adiacent beveled edges of said panels when open as a platform, link means connecting said panels and said members to engage and disengage the members with the beveled edges of the panels by the hinging movements of said panels, a toy railroad including a sectional track, cars, locomotive and other structures and having said other structures secured to certain of the panels and certain sections of the track being secured to the panels and the other sections of the track being secured on said members for. movement therewith. 9

Ail-BERT FISHER. 

